Joe Thornton, John Tavares and the Sharks best approach to the trade deadline

By Paul Gackle, Bay Area News Group

Monday, January 29, 2018

PITTSBURGH ó Doug Wilson knew the day was coming. The Sharks general manager just didnít know that the date would be Jan. 25, 2018.

Last Thursday, for the first time since Jan. 21, 2004, the Sharks played a game without Patrick Marleau and Joe Thornton in the lineup, giving the fan base an unwanted glimpse into the future as the team played its final game before the all-star break.

Although Wilson couldnít have foreseen that a right knee injury would sideline Thornton for a minimum of six weeks, heís been preparing for this moment, building a bridge toward the future. Thatís why he needs to stick to the plan in the second half and resist the temptation to swing a major deal before the trade deadline, even if the Sharks season starts to slip away.

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As Feb. 26 approaches, rumors will undoubtedly surface linking the Sharks to marquee names such as Max Pacioretty of the Montreal Canadiens, Evander Kane of the Buffalo Sabres and Mike Hoffman of the Ottawa Senators. All three players would help the Sharks absorb Thorntonís short-term loss and give the team a chance of hanging around in the Western Conference playoff race.

But the cost of landing one of these star forwards at the deadline will be high, forcing the Sharks to part ways with a couple of top prospects, undermining their efforts to move past the Thornton-Marleau era while remaining a contender in the Western Conference.

After years of trading away draft picks and prospects at the deadline ó Nick Bonino and Christian Ehrhoff leap to mind ó the Sharks changed their approach about six years ago, holding onto young talent as the NHL transformed into a draft-and-develop league with the introduction of the salary cap in 2005-06.

The Sharks (26-15-7) are seeing the fruits of this shift right now as a handful of youngsters played key roles in the teamís charge up to second place in the Pacific Division in the first half.

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Timo Meier ranks fifth on the team in goals (11), closing the revolving door on the Sharks top line before Thornton suffered his injury last week. The 21-year-old forward has netted nine goals since Dec. 4 after scoring just one in his first 16 games.

On the back end, rookie Joakim Ryan is emerging as a legitimate top-four defenseman, serving as Burnsí security blanket, Dylan DeMelo is anchoring the Sharks third pairing, posting a minus-seven rating in 29 games, and Tim Heed is sitting in the press box, waiting to unleash his trademark blast from the point thatís helped him collect 11 points in 27 games.

The Sharks young defensemen have been so good, theyíve bumped veteran Paul Martin off the roster, forcing him to prove his worth with the AHL Barracuda.

In short, trading away any of these pieces for a short-term band-aid would be foolish. A general manager canít lay down a foundation just to tear it up when the blowing winds change direction.

The other piece of the equation is the salary cap and the rare opportunity the Sharks could receive this offseason.

The benefit to Marleauís departure to the Toronto Maple Leafs last summer is that Wilson will have roughly $23 million available in cap space come July 1 (according to capfriendly.com), giving the Sharks a legitimate shot at hooking what could be the biggest fish to hit the open market in years.

As the winter progresses, itís looking quite possible that New York Islanders superstar John Tavares is going to test free agency this summer and the Sharks are well positioned to land his services.

If Tavares leaves the Islanders, heís likely to sign with a team that can pay him $10 million-plus a year while also giving him a viable shot at competing for a Stanley Cup. The Sharks are one of the few teams in the NHL that can offer both with Californiaís sunny weather serving as a bonus.

Most of the teams in the playoff race either have their cash tied up in a few core players (Chicago Blackhawks) or they will in coming years (Winnipeg Jets). Wilson, on the other hand, could afford to pay Tavares top dollar, and with a center alignment that would include him, Couture and possibly Thornton, the Sharks would be top contenders for the Stanley Cup.

That said, landing Tavares isnít a guarantee. But it makes more sense to take a run at a future Hall of Famer who could replace Thornton for the next decade (and figure out Plan B if it doesnít happen) than to spend that cash in panic mode at the deadline while also giving away valuable prospects.

Taking this approach wonít be popular as it could cost the Sharks a chance to make the playoffs this season. Regardless, it will give Wilson a chance to see what the Sharks future really looks like without Thornton and Marleau, allowing him to adjust his blueprint accordingly.

He knew this day was coming and he put the Sharks in a strong position to make the type of transition that most teams have failed to pull off. Now, he just needs to stay patient.